Torpedo for launching from alpha flying machine



Aug. 22, 1933. J. A. BULL 1,923,612

TORPEDO FOR LAUNCHING FROM A FLYING MACHINE Filed June 26; 1931 Patented Au 22, 1933 TORPEDO on 'LAUNCHING FROM A FLYING MACHINE Johan Andreas Bull, ,Horten, Norway Application June 26, 1931, Serial No. 547,109,and

- in Norway March 23, 1931 8 Claims.

At the launching of a torpedo from a flying machine it is essential that the torpedo enter the water with its longitudinal axis at a tangent to its path, or at a certain adjustable angle to the same. V

This is in the main or approximately obtainable thereby that the-torpedo is given arotation about-its transverse axis during the fall, in such direction that its forward end is being 10 swung downwards. .By this arrangement a satisfactory adjustment of the torpedo is obtained up to heights of about in.

. Athigher falls the deviation of the. axis of the torpedo from the tangent to its path may be? come too large 'for'securing of a successful shot; then a small initialffault in the velocity of the turning movement imparted to the torpedo may easily take place on account of movements of the flying machine, an inaccuracy in the turn ing device and the like, and this fault in connection with aidisturbing influence ofthe air resistance during the fall may-deflect the longitudinal axis of the torpedo more than permissible from thedesired direction in or approximately in the tangent to the path.

The present invention has for its object to avoid suchiault;

According to-the invention the torpedois provided with one or more comparatively large horizontal-rudders, here below referred to as ,steering rudders, forsteeringof the torpedo during the fall, which rudders are so constructed andzarrang ed'that they arereleased fromthe torpedo when thesamestrikes the water, preferably thereby that their connections are broken ;or released "by the impact against the water. The steering rudders preferably aredivided in vtwo parts, with one rudder plane on each side of the tail of the torpedo, and more or less balanced; 1 I The movement of the steering rudders'iseffected by means of .an auxiliary-rudder, preferably arranged on'the side of the torpedo, and the weight of which is balanced, which rudder under the influence of the air current during the 'fall of the torpedo adjusts itself at the tangent to the path of fall-and by a deviation of thelongitudinal axis of they torpedo from this tangent acts on' a" steering machine, for, the steering ruddersin such way that the rudders are moved in the direction so as to' bring the torpedo back in the position with its longitudinalaxis at the-tangent to the path. The action of "the auxiliary rudder on the steering machine is effected by meansof an air slide or the like which is connected with the auxiliary rudder and at the relative movement between the rudder and the torpedo controls the ad-, mission of. pressure medium to the steering machine.

A separate steering machine may be provided for the steering rudders, but preferably the steering machine for the depth rudders of the torpedo is used, this machine being under the influence of the auxiliary'rudder during the fall 55 r of the torpedo, but being brought under the influence of the usual depth steering apparatus when the torpedo has entered the water. This change-of the steering machine suitably may be effected bychanging a valve or the like by means The steering rudders may, for example, be 'provided with a fork engaging the aft edge of the depth'rudder, or a projection on this rudder. V

'A locking device'may lock the auxiliary rudder in" its zero position (no air admitted to the steering machine) until the torpedo has fallen 8 a distance sufiicient to befree'from disturbing ircurr'ents from the flying machine. This may suitably be efiected by means of a pm which prevents turning ;of the auxiliaryrudder and which is connected with the flying machine by a line or wire which disengages the pin when the torpedo has fallen a predetermined distance. I

The steering rudders with devices also may be arranged in conection with a resistance body for retardation of the torpedo upon its entering the water, in which case a quantity of pressure air sufiicient for the operation of the steering: rudders is stored, in this resistance body.

The drawing illustrates an example of an embodiment of the invention, where the steer- .a torpedo illustrating a steering arrangement constructed in accordance with the present invention; a

ing of the torpedo during its fall. They are in the shown example moved by means of forks '7, '7, engaging projections 8, 8 at the aft edge of the depth rudders. 9 is the usual steering machine for the depth rudders. Its piston rod 10 is connected in a known way by means of 'a rod 11 with one end of an angle lever 12, the other end of which is connected with'a link 13 which acts upon the crank 14 on the shaft of the depth rudders.

During the fall of the torpedo the steering machine is under the influence of the auxiliary rudder 15, which by'means of the lever 16 and the link 17 is connected with a slide 18-controlling the admission of air to both sides of "the piston of the steering machine. Whenthe .rents from the flying machine.

torpedo has entered the water, the steering machine is changed so that it is operated by means of another slide 19 through the slide rod 20 by the usual depth steering devices.

The changing of the steering machine is effected by means of the, changing or distribution valve 21, to which pressure air for the operation of the steering machine is conducted from the pressure regulator, and which valve is provided with air and exhaust conduits to the slide 18 connected with the auxiliary rudder as'wellas to the slide 19 connected with the depth steering devices. During the fall of the torpedo, the conduits to the slide of the auxiliary rudders are open and the conduits to the depth steering slide .closed. The changing is effected by means of the impact plate 22, which during the fall of the torpedo projectsbeyond the shell of the torpedo as shown in full linesybut,

when the torpedo enters .the water is turned by the water pressure into the position shown in dotted lines, thereby turning the valve so that the conduits to the slide of the auxiliary rudder are closed and the conduits to the depth steering slide opened.

The auxiliary rudder may be locked'by means of the pin 23 until the torpedo has fallen a distance sufiicient to avoid any danger of the auxiliary rudder being" influenced by air cur- The pin 23 is inserted into the bearing 24 for the shaft of the auxiliary rudder in such way, that a turning of the rudder is prevented, and is connected by a line 25 with the flying machine so that the pin is released by the line when the torpedo has fallen the desired distance.

It is sometimes desirable, as indicated hereinbefore, to so adjust the mechanism that the axis of the torpedo during the'fall will be inolined at some predetermined angle with respect to the tangent'to its path'of movement; One simple arrangement fore'ffecting the neoessary adjustment is shown in Figure 3 of the drawing in which the auxiliary rudder is mounted on its supporting shaft 25' by means of abolt 26-=threaded in the end of the shaft and extending through an aperture in the rudder. Thus the rudder may be setto any desired'position and clamped by tightening the screw 26.

4, 4 are the usual ,I'he rudder is preferably counter-balanced, for

instance by means of a weight 27.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I claim is: e V

1. In a torpedo adapted to be launched from aircraft into the water, the combination with the torpedo body, of a rudder for steering the body in a vertical plane during the fall through the air, means for temporarily supporting the rudder on the body, said means being releasable upon entering the water, mechanism for imparting steering movement to the rudder to maintain the longitudinal axis of the body in a predetermined angular relation with a tangent to the normal direction of fall of the body through the air, a controlling fin supported for free movement to a position in alignment with the instantaneous direction of movement of the body, and adjustable connections between said fin and said mechanism, whereby the angular position of the fin may be varied to alter the aforesaid predetermined angular relation.

2. In a torpedo adapted to-be launched from aircraft into the water, the combination with the torpedo body, of a rudder for steering the body in a vertical plane during the fall through the air, means for temporarily supporting the rudder on the body, said means being releasable upon entering the water, and mechanism for imparting, steering movement to the rudder to maintain the longitudinal axis of the body at a tangent to the normal'direction of fall of the body through the air, said mechanism including a controlling fin supported for free movement to. a position in alignment with the instantaneous direction of movement of the body, and means for locking the controlling fin against movement, said means being releasable after the body has fallen a predetermined'distance.

3; In; a torpedo adapted to be launched from aircraft into the water, the combination with the torpedo body, of'a rudder for steering the body in a vertical plane during the fall through the air, means for temporarily supporting the rudder on the body, said means being releasable upon entering the-water, and mechanism for imparting steering movement to the rudder to maintain the longitudinal axis of the body at a tangent to the normal direction of fall of the body through the air, said'mechanismincluding a fluid operated device, and a fin freely- -movable to a position in" alignment with the instantaneous direction of movement of the body for controlling the supply of fluid to said device.

4;. Ina torpedo adapted to be launched from torpedo body, of a rudder for steering the body in a vertical plane during the fall through the air, means for temporarily supporting the rudder on the body, said means being releasable water, and means for operatively connecting said mechanism and said first named rudder to aircraft into the water, the combination with the 'upon entering the water, a' depth rudder for actuate the latter during flight through the air.

5. In a torpedo. adapted to be launched from aircraft into the water, thev combination with the torpedo body, of a rudder'for steering the body in a vertical plane during the fall through the air, means for temporarily-supporting the rudder on the body, said means being releasable upon entering the water, a depth rudder for directing the body in the water, steering mechanism for actuating said depth rudder in the water, and means for operatively connecting said mechanism and said first named rudder to actuate the latter during flight through the air, said last named means including a freely mounted fin associated with said steering mechanism and responsive to deviation of the longitudinal axis of the body from a direction tangent to the normal direction of fall of the body to control said mechanism.

6. In a torpedo adapted to be launched from,

aircraft into the Water, the combination With the torpedo body, of a rudder for steering the body in a vertical plane during the fall through the air, a depth rudder for steering the body in the Water, a prime mover common to both rudders for actuating the latter, and separate means for controlling said prime mover during movement of the body in the air and in the Water.

7. In a torpedo adapted to be launched from aircraft into the Water, the combination with the torpedo body, of a rudder for steering the body in a vertical plane during the fall through the air, a depth rudder for steering the body in the water, a prime mover common to both rudders for actuating the latter, separate means for controlling said prime mover during movement of the body in the air and in the water,

and a device acting automatically for selectively coupling said prime mover to either of said separate controlling means, said device including an element projecting from the body of the torpedo and responsive to impact with the water.

' JOI-IAN ANDREAS BULL. 

